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Implementation of Cigarette Plain Packaging: Triadic Reactions of Consumers, State Officials, and Tobacco Companies—The Case of Saudi Arabia

Author

Listed:
  • Marwah M. Hassounah

    (Community Medicine Unit, Family and Community Medicine Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia)

  • Abdulmohsen H. Al-Zalabani

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohammed D. AlAhmari

    (Department of Respiratory Care, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences, Dhahran 34464, Saudi Arabia)

  • Afraa A. Murriky

    (Department of Restorative Dentistry, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia)

  • Anwar M. Makeen

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 88723, Saudi Arabia)

  • Abdullah M.M. Alanazi

    (Department of Respiratory Therapy, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University For Health Sciences, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia
    Sparkman Center for Global Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA)

Abstract

Objectives: In August 2019, Saudi Arabia started implementing plain packaging for cigarettes. Three months later, an opposing campaign on twitter using an Arabic hashtag “the new smoke” gained momentum amongst smokers. The purpose of this study is to document this opposing campaign’s timeline and describe consumers, government, and tobacco industry rhetoric. Methods: We created a timeline of the campaign events then performed online social listening of Arabic twitter hashtags related to the campaign. Results: Campaigners mainly complained of an unfavorable new taste in cigarette packs with plain packaging. The messaging developed to accusations to government entities and neighboring countries, and then after threats to boycott tobacco companies. The campaign received a significant amount of media coverage and elicited an official response from a number of Saudi government bodies, such as the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and Ministry of Commerce and Investment. Conclusion: This case points at a need for risk communication training, possible tobacco industry manipulation, and a need to gain consumer trust with evidence-based messaging techniques. The case of cigarette plain packaging adoption in Saudi Arabia serves as an example to other countries of potential consumer interaction, tobacco industry interference, and state official counter-reactions.

Suggested Citation

  • Marwah M. Hassounah & Abdulmohsen H. Al-Zalabani & Mohammed D. AlAhmari & Afraa A. Murriky & Anwar M. Makeen & Abdullah M.M. Alanazi, 2020. "Implementation of Cigarette Plain Packaging: Triadic Reactions of Consumers, State Officials, and Tobacco Companies—The Case of Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:8:p:2668-:d:344969
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Thrasher, James F. & Rousu, Matthew C. & Hammond, David & Navarro, Ashley & Corrigan, Jay R., 2011. "Estimating the impact of pictorial health warnings and "plain" cigarette packaging: Evidence from experimental auctions among adult smokers in the United States," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(1), pages 41-48, September.
    3. MacKenzie, Ross & Mathers, Annalise & Hawkins, Benjamin & Eckhardt, Jappe & Smith, Julia, 2018. "The tobacco industry’s challenges to standardised packaging: A comparative analysis of issue framing in public relations campaigns in four countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(9), pages 1001-1011.
    4. Selda Ulucanlar & Gary J Fooks & Jenny L Hatchard & Anna B Gilmore, 2014. "Representation and Misrepresentation of Scientific Evidence in Contemporary Tobacco Regulation: A Review of Tobacco Industry Submissions to the UK Government Consultation on Standardised Packaging," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, March.
    5. White, Celia MLS & Hammond, Ross, 2001. "Voices of Truth, vol. 1: Multinational Tobacco Industry Activity in the Middle East: A review of Internal Industry Documents," University of California at San Francisco, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education qt1mz223f2, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, UC San Francisco.
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